Applicant has carried out multiple searches in the US Patent Office Database for references relating to this invention. Two groups of references are cited below. The first group of eleven patents has been previously disclosed to the patent office, while the second group is based upon the latest searches.
Applicant has previously disclosed the following references. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,553 to Kiguchi teaches a facsimile communication system wherein a call signal detecting device is for identifying call signals which are received over a network. Both an unsounding call signal and a sounding call signal are detected by a single detection circuitry, which is also responsive to off-hooking of an own station's telephone set. Detection of such signals is implemented by the measurement of a period which is performed by a processing unit, so that changes in the specifications of the signals to be detected can be accommodated merely by modifying a program of the processing system and not the hardware of the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,049 to Streck teaches apparatus for answering an incoming call over a single telephone line and for automatically switching the call between a telephone and a carrier signal-based device as appropriate. There is a three position switch for switching a telephone line connected thereto between first, second and third output positions thereof. The switch has the telephone operably connected to the second output position thereof and the carrier signal-based device connected to the third output position thereof. There is first logic having an input connected to the first output position of the switch and an output operably connected to switch the switch between the first, second and third output positions for answering an incoming call on the telephone line, for determining whether the incoming call is from a carrier signal-based device, for switching the switch to connect the second output position when an incoming call from a non-carrier signal-based device is detected, and for switching the switch to connect the third output position when an incoming call from a carrier signal-based device is detected. There is also second logic having an input connected to sense transmissions from the telephone and the carrier signal-based device and an output operably connected to switch the switch between the first, second and third output positions for switching the switch to the first position when a hang up by the telephone or the carrier signal-based device is detected. The preferred embodiment also senses a pickup by either device and automatically switches the switch to connect the device to the telephone line for outgoing transmission use. The preferred stand alone version also includes telephone answering capability for alerting a caller to its operation and for recording a message if the telephone is not answered.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,581 to Pittard teaches a control and switching unit used with at least two devices for transmitting information or voice communication over telephone lines. The control and switching unit is provided with a series of relay to ensure that only one of the devices receives or transmits information at any one time. A timing circuit is utilized such that if one of the devices is a telephone, the second device would not be able to gain access to the telephone line if the telephone is ringing. Additionally, if the telephone is in use, the secondary device, such as a modem, could be selected and this secondary device would gain access to the telephone line after the use of the telephone has been discontinued.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,534 to Gural teaches a subscriber's interface enabling the connection of otherwise incompatible telephone device systems (hereinafter “(Z)”) to a single telephone line, each telephone device system having devices such as: a computer modem (hereinafter “(F)”), an automatic answering machine (hereinafter “(A)”), and telephone sets (hereinafter “(T)”). When a ring signal is received from the central office, the interface allows a first device, such as (A) or (T) to answer the call, and monitors the communication between the calling party and the first device bearing in mind its various operating modes. Based on the monitored conversation, the interface determines if the call should be connected to a second device. If so, an actuating signal is sent to (F), whereupon when (F) becomes OFF HOOK, it is connected to the telephone line. If the first device is an automatic answering machine, its various operating modes include: outgoing message, incoming message, beeperless remote mode. If the first device is a remotely located telephone set, its various mode of operation include simple human voice signals and complex human voice signals.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,334 to O'Mahoney teaches a method for processing an incoming call on a telephone line in a computer system, wherein a telephony circuit detects a pick-up by a parallel device coupled to the telephone line while maintaining high voltage isolation. The telephony circuit performs hard line seizures to cause the parallel device to hang-up and soft line seizures to prevent a central office hang up after the parallel device hangs up.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,767 to O'Horo et al. teaches a call-waiting feature that is supported on voice-and-data modems by causing voice-and-data modems to go into voice-only mode upon receipt of the modem clear-down signal. A first voice-and-data modem engaged in an initial voice-and-data call with a second voice-and-data modem responds to receipt of a call-waiting signal by generating a replica of the call-waiting signal on the user's audio channel. The first modem responds to a user request to pick up the waiting call by sending the modem clear-down signal to the second voice-and-data modem, going into voice-only mode, and transmitting a waiting-call acceptance signal. The initial call that is placed on hold is thus a voice-only call. While in a voice-plus-data picked-up waiting call, the first modem responds to a user request to reinstate the initial call by again sending the modem clear-down signal, going into voice-only mode, and transmitting a call-resumption signal. The first modem is thus in voice-only-mode when it is reconnected to the initial, voice-only, call. The reconnected initial call may now be reconverted into a voice-plus-data call in the convention manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,128 to McMullin teaches methods and apparatus for providing automatic redirection of an incoming voice telephone call from a caller to a subscriber proxy when an attempt by the caller to connect to a telephone link of a public switched telephone network (PSTN) is blocked due to the telephone link being occupied by a subscriber using the telephone link to establish communication between the subscriber's personal computer and a computer network. The subscriber proxy is connected to both the PSTN and the computer network, and produces audio interaction with the caller. The subscriber proxy also notifies the subscriber of the incoming call via the subscriber's computer. The subscriber's computer can optionally be used by the subscriber to control and interact with the incoming call by communicating with the computer proxy while the subscriber continues to occupy the telephone link.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,005,924 to Krexner et al. teaches a fax and phone combination device. The combination device is coupled to an external phone. From a phone line, the combination device receives a call signal, a fax signal, and an information signal. The call signal precedes the fax signal and the information signal. The combination device comprises a fax, an internal phone, and a call signal processor. The call processor processes the call signal received by the combination device and produces a first ringing signal from the call signal. The first ringing signal is intended for the internal phone. The combination device further comprises a ringing signal generator for generating a second ringing signal that is intended for the external phone, and a switch coupled to the fax, the internal phone, and the call processor. A call pulse in the call signal causes the switch to switch the combination device in a simulated receiving mode. In the simulated receiving mode, the fax signal detector detects whether the fax signal is present. If the fax signal is present, the fax signal is routed to the fax. If no fax signal is present, the second ringing signal is routed to the external phone.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,353 to Szeliga teaches a method and related apparatus for detecting the presence of a call waiting signal on a telephone line, where the call waiting signal is embedded in various signals. The call waiting signal frequency is isolated from the various other frequencies. The isolated call waiting frequency is then biased so that only the positive voltage portions of the signal are allowed to pass. Each positive voltage pulse as well as the zero voltage pulses are then sampled to determine whether they are representative of a biased call waiting signal. Each time a determination is made, one is added to a count on an up-down counter. When the count reaches a predetermined number, a call waiting signal is detected on the telephone line. Preferably an alarm signals the presence of a detected call waiting signal to the user. A disconnect switch interrupts a modem so that a person using the modem on the same telephone line will have sufficient time to answer a detected incoming call.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,259,353 to Berger et al. teaches a transponder communication device that interrogates an operational test transponder that is permanently within a receiving range of the transponder communication device. In response thereto, the operational test transponder sends operational test information to the transponder communication device. The transponder communication device checks whether received operational test information is valid, and generates an error signal if the received operational test information is invalid.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,259,692 to Shtivelman et al. teaches a telephony call-waiting system for clients having a computer with a video display unit (PC/VDU) and a public-switched telephony network (PSTN) telephone connected to the PSTN by a single line, keeps a status indication of the client's Internet connection status and, during periods of time the PC/VDU is connected to the Internet, alerts the client by an alert signal over the Internet connection of any waiting PSTN calls. In a preferred embodiment the client's PC/VDU is adapted to provide an audio and/or visual alert event when an alert signal is received, and to provide for a user-initiated response to an alert, accepting or rejecting a call. In the event a call is accepted, provision is made for connecting the accepted call to the client's PC/VDU as an IP call. In some embodiments several calls may be dealt with at the PC/VDU, and features are provided such as caller-ID on the client's VDU. Several ways of accomplishing the call-waiting system are taught.
Even though previous innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they are addressed they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as hereinafter described.
The second group of references below are based upon more recent patentability searches.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,550,908 issued Aug. 27, 1996 to Cai et al for MODEM COMMUNICATIONS INTEROPERABILITY WITH SERVICES EQUIPPED TO PROVIDE CALLING PARTY IDENTITY DELIVERY WITH CALL WAITING teaches that a modem may be equipped to recognize an “alerting” signal, and re-establish communications as desired, even with a second modem not so equipped. It teaches the use of a keypad on the telephonic device of the patent and thus separate from the keypad on a telephone on the same circuit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,841,850 issued Nov. 24, 1998 to Fan for INTELLIGENT CALLER IDENTIFICATION APPARATUS FOR NOTIFYING A SELECTED TELEPHONE NUMBER OF THE ARRIVAL OF SPECIAL INFORMATION teaches a device once again incorporating a keypad 18 (see FIG. 1 of the '850 patent) into the device and thus entirely separate from a telephone 31.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,940,485 issued Aug. 17, 1999 to Sapra et al for DATA INTERFACE CONNECTED IN LINE BETWEEN A KEYBOARD AND A KEYBOARD PORT OF A PERSONAL COMPUTER teaches an interesting but unrelated technique in which a Caller ID device is plugged into a keyboard port on a personal computer, and the keyboard is plugged into the device. By this means, Caller ID information may reach the PC via the keyboard port, with consequent advantages. However, the device does not implicate use of a telephone keypad.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,982,774 issued Nov. 9, 1999 to Foldare et al for INTERNET ON HOLD teaches a method based upon the telephone switching network rather than a client side home or office device. It implicates use of a computer screen and commands for network control, not control via the telephone keypad.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,443 issued Mar. 14, 2000 to Luneau for CALLING PART ANNOUNCEMENT APPARATUS teaches an apparatus to provide the identity of a caller, the apparatus having a four button keypad 56 (see FIG. 1 of the '443 patent) separate from any associated telephones 14.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,339,643 issued Jan. 15, 2002 to Mastrocola et al for TELEPHONE DISABLE FEATURE teaches a “disabling button” 26 located on the telephone itself for disabling part or all of the controls of the telephone itself. This device is far outside the technology relevant to the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,668 issued Apr. 23, 2002 to Smock et al for INTERNET PRIORITY CALL DEVICE teaches a device for switching from a modem call to an ISP to a telephone audio call. It does not reveal the use of any keypad to control the device, much less the use of a telephone keypad for that purpose.
It will be appreciated that none of these devices teach that a telephone keypad may be used to control operations of an internet/telephone call switching device.